Proper Regeneration in the East End

[duncan]

good point paladin, gentrification is not a synonym of regeneration.

[escotregen]

Paladin, the term 'proper' was used because this project is based on good practice. The real community, at community level, has been engaged meaningfully here from the very start of a long process. What may come out of it may not meet every requirement each of us (living outside the neighbourhood) might want to put on it. But the critical factor is that the community residents and businesses themselves were involved and involved from the outset.
This is in comparison with the 'big regeneration' type of thing where something like the Tollcross Leisure Centre was parachuted into the community with virtually no consultation (covered on another thread).
By the way, I was on about the Clyde Greenspace bit... I was not referring to anything to do with flats - whether luxury or not. I'm not quite clear why the thread went off on that angle.
There are examples of proper regeneration - if you mean good quality, sustainable projects where the local community and businesses were involved, where the project is part of a masterplan (where scale merits it) and where adaquate public and private capital and revenue funding is made available and where there is good governance.
The framework and elements of good pracrice in regeneration have been well-verified and known of for at least a couple of decades. The problem is that good practice is mostly not followed by many politicians and many professionals with their own agendas and working in their own 'silos' (i.e Tollcross Leisure Centre). Hence the importamce of being able to recognise good projects when they do happen and to acknowledge them (i.e. Clyde Greenspace in Parkhead).

[paladin]

Hat's off to you Escotregen for your belief in 'proper' regeneration, but my point was that this area should never have been left to be properly regenerated in the first place.
Like I said, my best wishes lie in seeing it regenerated for sure, but the price has already been paid in the 'wasted' years through which generations have moved out of the area due to lack of affordable,properly maintained housing stock either private or council owned.
'Proper' can only be determined in time, as what is best practice in one area is not always sustainable in another.
Good luck.

[escotregen]

Paladin I take your point about the derilction should not have been created in the first place so that regeneration was then needed. I can still vividly remember the sense of culture shock I genuinely felt went I went back to find my 'old street' in Maryhill demolished and vanished about ten or more years after we had been re-homed in one of the big peripheral schemes.
One problem was that the same powers-that-be that decimated the Glasgow communities from the 1950s to the mid 70s, then went on to apply their peculiar brutalism from the mid-70s on what they thought was 'regeneration' (really just building cheap mono-type houses with a few shops on brownsites). The currently disturbing thing is that in the succeeding generation, many politicians and professionals seemed to have refused to take on board the lessons many others have learned over the past decade or two on how to achieve sustainable regeneration.

[Apollo]

All painted and tidy last week.



Seeing it fresh, clean and unmarked made me think of the question posted elsewhere in the forum re. whether or not graffiti was vandalism.

[Modernhousing]

Paladin I take your point about the derilction should not have been created in the first place so that regeneration was then needed. I can still vividly remember the sense of culture shock I genuinely felt went I went back to find my 'old street' in Maryhill demolished and vanished about ten or more years after we had been re-homed in one of the big peripheral schemes.
One problem was that the same powers-that-be that decimated the Glasgow communities from the 1950s to the mid 70s, then went on to apply their peculiar brutalism from the mid-70s on what they thought was 'regeneration' (really just building cheap mono-type houses with a few shops on brownsites). The currently disturbing thing is that in the succeeding generation, many politicians and professionals seemed to have refused to take on board the lessons many others have learned over the past decade or two on how to achieve sustainable regeneration.

So many communities in Glasgow's biggest housing estates have had their heart ripped out of them. The only way forward is to contain and build sustainable communities which is highlighted from the most recent UK strategy.

[paladin]

One Steam Hammer I believe, recently installed and still to be painted properly. I almost walked past it!

All painted and tidy last week.

Seeing it fresh, clean and unmarked made me think of the question posted elsewhere in the forum re. whether or not graffiti was vandalism.

Please tell me that you swapped photograph's 'cos the previous one wasn't painted blue.

And that Billboard looks new as well.

[Apollo]

Updated indeed. Being without camera when I spotted the paint earlier, I thought it was worthy of mention, so slapped the quote in, but got a better one today.

Afraid the billboard's been there for at least the past few years while I've been using the Forge Market as an excuse for a long walk. Hopefully be gone soon. To the right you can see new flats that are just being completed and occupied.

They're now clearing and levelling the land , and have chopped and chipped all the trees that used to be there. They might be finding bits left over from the forge too. There was a big roller over a foot across and twelve foot long lying there as if it had just been dug up, and was too big to go in the skip.

[Apollo]

I'm sure Apollo was describing where they were in the pic.

Yup

Wonder about the 2 businesses... The Forge MOT and car wash thingy hidden behind frame of the hammer looks reasonably secure, though I couldn't find any plans online for the area when the original post was made. I think the mucky wee garage and tyre place that lives in what looks like the last surviving bit of forge brickwork, behind and to the right of the hammer, may be on its last legs though. The poor wee buildings look as if they'd fall over if you walked into them too hard.

[crusty_bint]

Cheers for the update Apollo, Im interested to see whats happening with this project, shame you didnt get a pic of the big roller. I have to say, also, great points you guys have made throughout this discussion about regeneration and appropriation of charity funds and time.

Indeed this little space has been somewhat of a civic playground since at least the 1980's (as far back as I go ), but never in such an official and designated fashion. Im eager to see if any of it lasts

[paladin]

Updated indeed. Afraid the billboard's been there for at least the past few years while I've been using the Forge Market as an excuse for a long walk.

Thank you for the update.

Mentioned the 'Billboard' as a bit of a teaser, as I mean't the 'bill poster' itself was new.......which suggests to me that the Advertisers either own or lease the landspace that the Billboard sit's upon.......so someone somewhere is getting a steady stream of income.

Slightly digressing mibbe, but there always seems to be Billboards/Hoardings/Advertising etc. that always seem to be sustained in areas such as this.

Houses might get levelled but the Billboard(s) are kept alive and erect.

Perhap's have a 'different' outlook on the long walk to the Forge Market if you were to count the number of Billboards sited on land, just as a matter of interest Apollo Or am I just rambling?

[Apollo]

Crusty, the roller was half buried in ground scrapings and muck against the skip,so not much to see. I only noticed and commented as it had a big loop fitting on the end, so clearly wasn't just a bit hollow pipe or tube.

Yes, it's another subject, but where there's an advert, there's an agency screwing money out of someone... ultimately you and me while they scare their clients "Well, if you don't advertise there, one of your competitors is bound to" etc...

At least we got the Opium poster in Old Shettleston Rd.

[escotregen]

A streetscape film about how to work towards 'Proper Regeneration'. Already dubbed as 'controversial' by the media. Its about guiding kids towards artistic expression... a cue again for cynics to wade in about neds, and scum, and wastelands that should be concreted over and 'scary bad neighbourhoods I once went through'

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/36092.html

[paladin]

Its about guiding kids towards artistic expression...

I would hate to be growing up in today's society. I despair at the look in 'kids' faces. Having read the report and having my own opinion about social exclusion issues, I would say that the 'kids' need to guide the beaureaucrats towards artistic impression because it was the powers that be's short-sightedness that has left the younger generation with sub-standard housing/no prospects/drink and drug dependency etc etc
Half a dozen 'streetwise' "kids" would possess more Social Enterprise between them than all the Council put together........they just need a chance and something to aspire to.
Unfortunately, the 'kids' have been let down badly by their preceding generations lack of vision.

[Targer]

You have part of the story Paladin but some help may be on the way. A recent article in the "Independant" 'Town Planning:Britains Growth Industry' says there are now 17000 town planners whereas there were only 12000 in 2001. Surely this can help? but it may have been these types that created all the terrible housing estates around Glasgow. The performance of the planning dept. of the George Square mob has not been good. If we add an Urban Design and Social Engineering Dept maybe things will improve. Dont forget the politicians (Scottish Office/Glasgow city council) had and have their own agenda.